Harry Diamond
Jordan Henderson is organising a ‘coronavirus crisis fund’ with the aim of persuading Premier League stars to donate millions to financially support the NHS.
According to The Times, the Liverpool captain is behind plans to raise significant funds towards combating the spread of the deadly virus and has this week contacted several high-profile stars to get behind the initiative.
Henderson’s plans – which have included reaching out to the Premier League’s other 19 club captains – are said to have begun before comments made by the government’s health secretary Matt Hancock urging the division’s players to ‘play their part’ in helping to cover the costs of the crisis.
Hancock’s comments came after four Premier League clubs – Tottenham, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Norwich – controversially announced a decision to use the government’s furlough scheme to pay non-playing staff, without making cuts to player’s wages.
It is reported that Henderson’s crisis fund will be open to public donation, though the majority of the money raised will come from Premier League stars – a figure which could be in the millions given the abundant wealth of players in England’s top flight.
Meanwhile, the Mirror has reported that Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has urged his teammates to donate 30% of their wages to charity and surrounding hospitals, a call which is being ‘overwhelmingly’ backed by the Red Devils.
The Premer League have also announced that they will ‘immediately’ donate £20 million to the NHS, football in England finally seeming to be contributing to the global pandemic.
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